


the language of my flowers

by r0uen



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, Multi, Pining, Saihara Shuichi Overthinking, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:47:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,327
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25146457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r0uen/pseuds/r0uen
Summary: Saihara Shuichi has been dealing with a minor cold for the past week (and has been dealing with an unrequited crush for a year).Then he coughs up a petal and things get a lot more complicated.
Relationships: Amami Rantaro/Saihara Shuichi, Amami Rantaro/Shinguji Korekiyo, Harukawa Maki & Saihara Shuichi, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	the language of my flowers

**Author's Note:**

> OH YEAH HANAHAKI TIME!!!!!  
> i love these ships sm!! i tried to mix it up by writing it from shu's pov so i hope it's ok. anyway enjoy!!  
> cw: mentions of blood
> 
> thank you to @mokiibun on insta for proofreading this!!! <333

The pale pink petal looked almost innocent sitting in Shuichi's hand, aside from the smear of blood on it. 

He'd been experiencing sore throats and coughs for the past few days, but he just thought it was a minor cold. The tightness and burning in his chest has been peculiar, but he thought it was just another symptom of something minor. 

Turns out it was a symptom of something much worse. 

Based on the fact that he was coughing up flowers, it was fairly safe to assume he had Hanahaki disease. 

He, frankly, had thought the disease was fictional- it only existed in the darkest corners of the web, and no concrete evidence proved the existence of the disease. Except for the petal sitting in his hand- he had quite literally coughed it off. 

He pocketed it with a raspy sigh. If he was correct, the petal should have some type of meaning. He should research more later. Besides, the others would get worried if he didn't leave soon. 

He was out getting frozen yogurt with Rantaro, Korekiyo, Kaito, Maki, and Kaede. He had escaped to the bathroom after an especially large coughing fit, claiming he was just sick. But now his chest aches more than ever. 

He unlocked the stall, quickly washing his hands. One question remained prominent in his mind- who caused his Hanahaki?

Based on the fact he has been with multiple others when he coughed up the petal, it was likely one of them had caused his disease. He loved Kaede and thought she was pretty, but none of it was romantic. Maki was nice once you got past her harder exterior, but he wasn't super close with her. At least, not close enough to fall in love. Kaito was his best friend- he was too much of a "bro" for Shuichi to fall for him anyway.

That left Rantaro and Korekiyo. 

He, frankly, has crushes on both of them. Rantaro's started about a year ago, when Shuichi had noticed how pretty he looked in the sunlight. He's just so calm and relaxed, and it's beautiful. 

He's liked Korekiyo for only about three months, but he's just as interesting. He gains an adorable glean in his eyes whenever he rambles about astrology or culture or other religions, and Shuichi could listen to him talk for hours. 

Therefore, since he's liked Rantaro for longer, it's more likely Rantaro caused his Hanahaki. 

He's in love with Rantaro. 

Of course, Shuichi only makes this realization when he's back at the table, sitting down as Rantaro shoots him a handsome smile from across the table. He smiles back, weakly, and feels something constricting in his chest. 

He's definitely in love with Rantaro. Amami Rantaro, who's a taken man. 

He's been dating Korekiyo for about four months now, and they're really happy together. Jealously burns in his stomach as Korekiyo grabs Rantaro's hand and he immediately pushes it away. 

God, he's disgusting. Thinking about his best friend like this? Awful. Horrible. Disgusting. 

"Hey, Shu?" someone asks. He looks up, sees Kaito staring back worriedly. "You okay, man?" 

"Yeah, I'm okay," he says, eating a spoonful of frozen yogurt. It's flavorless, and the bitter cold feeling in his throat somehow just makes him feel worse. "Just sick, I think." 

"It would be best if you see a doctor," Korekiyo suggests. Shuichi can't help but focus on how his thumb is drawing small circles into the back of Rantaro's hand. "Your sickness hasn't been improving." 

"Yeah, I'll go eventually." Shuichi wishes it was just as simple as going to a doctor and taking some medication. "I'll make an appointment later." 

"I can take you if you want," Rantaro offers, and Shuichi's heart burns. Rantaro knows about his anxiety around doctors and interacting with them, but having Rantaro there would just make it a thousand times worse. 

"It's alright. Thanks though, Amami-kun." He offers Rantaro a plastic smile. Shuichi knows he can see through it, but he doesn't push for now. 

The conversation continues elsewhere, but he only adds in his two cents occasionally. He just can't bring himself to talk, and he tries to ignore Rantaro's nervous glances and Maki's hardened gaze. 

At one point, as Rantaro is talking, another flower petal makes its way up his throat. He tries to cough as softly as he can, the petal floating into his palm. He shoves it into his pocket, desperate to forget the flowers growing in his throat. 

After another hour of conversation and Shuichi awkwardly attempting to hide the petals he's coughing up, the group separates to their own cars so they can drive home. 

The second Shuichi enters his car, he has a coughing fit, and three petals end up in his fist. He stares at them and groans in frustration. As if being in love with his (taken) close friend wasn't enough, he now has to deal with the physical pain caused by Hanahaki.

"I knew you had Hanahaki," says a muffled voice through the door, and Shuichi jumps in surprise. He stuffs the petals in his pocket, glancing through the passenger seat's window. He's surprised to see Maki standing there, arms folded. 

"Let me in." Her command is muffled but he can still hear the intent behind it, he unlocks the doors, and Maki slides into the car. 

"How did you know?" he asks. He thought he had concealed the petals fairly well throughout their outing, but apparently he hadn't done it well enough.

She studies him with intent red eyes. "Easy. I had it myself." She steals a petal from Shuichi's pocket, head cocked. "Back in the orphanage. I was a teenager and I had fallen for one of the older guys who always took care of me. It was brutal, Saihara." They make eye contact and she's even more serious than usual, lips set in a frown. "I never sought him out and it just got worse and worse. After three months, I could barely get out of bed. I managed to sneak out and get surgery to remove it, thankfully. After the surgery, I woke up and I felt nothing for him. The petals were gone, thankfully. It took me a few days to recover, but that was that." 

She presses the petal into his hand. "At this point, you need to make a choice. You've only been dealing with this for about a week, so you have time, but it's better to act sooner ranther than later. Either you confess and hope your feelings are returned, or you get the surgery and lose all feelings for them."

"The only other option is.... is death, right?" Shuichi is certain Rantaro could never love him back, so confessing is likely out of the option. But surgery seems terrifying, and it feels weird getting rid of his first love through such a method. 

"Yeah." Maki's red gaze hasn't left him since she's entered the car. Her voice is softer when she speaks next- "I know it's a hard decision to make, but I suggest you make it sooner rather than later. I know some trustworthy people who can perform the surgery, and it's a bit expensive but I can help you pay." 

"I don't wanna do that to you, Harukawa-kun-"

"I know I'm not always the most friendly," Maki interrupts, "but I still want to help you. Is there any chance you could tell me who you're in love with?" 

Shuichi shakes his head frantically. It's not because he doesn't trust Maki- for one, he isn't out, even though he knows his friends would accept him. "I'm sorry, I just can't." 

"It's not a big deal. I have a fairly good hunch as to who it is anyway." She opens the passenger door, stepping out before glancing back one more time. "Stay safe, Saihara." 

Then the door is shut and Shuichi is yet again left with his thoughts, an empty car, and the flower petals. 


End file.
